12 (A)The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.”

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12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.(A)(B)

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13 And behold, (A)the Lord stood above it[a] and said, (B)“I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. (C)The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:13 Or beside him

13 There above it[a] stood the Lord,(A) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(B) I will give you and your descendants the land(C) on which you are lying.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, (A)“To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

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and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you (A)for an everlasting possession.’

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and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers.(A) I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land(B) as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’(C)

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(A)Sojourn in this land, and (B)I will be with you and will bless you, for (C)to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish (D)the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. (E)I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And (F)in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,

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Stay in this land for a while,(A) and I will be with you(B) and will bless you.(C) For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands(D) and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.(E) I will make your descendants(F) as numerous as the stars in the sky(G) and will give them all these lands,(H) and through your offspring[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,[b](I)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 26:4 Or seed
  2. Genesis 26:4 Or and all nations on earth will use the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)

Nehemiah's Final Reforms

13 On that day (A)they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written (B)that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. As soon as the people heard the law, (C)they separated from Israel all (D)those of foreign descent.

Now before this, (E)Eliashib the priest, who (F)was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to (G)Tobiah, prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, (H)which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for (I)in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes (J)king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, (K)preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I gave orders, and they (L)cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that (M)the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each (N)to his field. 11 (O)So I confronted the officials and said, (P)“Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought (Q)the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And (R)I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, (S)for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. 14 (T)Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses (U)on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, (V)which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And (W)I warned them on the day when they sold food. 16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! 17 (X)Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, (Y)profaning the Sabbath day? 18 (Z)Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster[a] on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19 As soon as it (AA)began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 (AB)But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites (AC)that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. (AD)Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

23 In those days also I saw the Jews (AE)who had married women (AF)of Ashdod, (AG)Ammon, and (AH)Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. 25 (AI)And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. (AJ)And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 (AK)Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? (AL)Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was (AM)beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and (AN)act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”

28 And one of the sons of (AO)Jehoiada, the son of (AP)Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of (AQ)Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me. 29 (AR)Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood (AS)and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 (AT)Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided (AU)for the wood offering (AV)at appointed times, and for the firstfruits.

(AW)Remember me, O my God, for good.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 13:18 The Hebrew word can mean evil, harm, or disaster, depending on the context

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

13 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,(A) because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam(B) to call a curse down on them.(C) (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)(D) When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.(E)

Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms(F) of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,(G) and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes(H) of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.

But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes(I) king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib(J) had done in providing Tobiah(K) a room in the courts of the house of God. I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.(L) I gave orders to purify the rooms,(M) and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.(N)

10 I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them,(O) and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.(P) 11 So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?”(Q) Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.

12 All Judah brought the tithes(R) of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms.(S) 13 I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.(T)

14 Remember(U) me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.

15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath.(V) Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. 16 People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath(W) to the people of Judah. 17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city?(X) Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”(Y)

19 When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath,(Z) I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Remember(AA) me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.

23 Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married(AB) women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.(AC) 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language(AD) of Judah. 25 I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath(AE) in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.(AF) 26 Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him.(AG) He was loved by his God,(AH) and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.(AI) 27 Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying(AJ) foreign women?”

28 One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib(AK) the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat(AL) the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.

29 Remember(AM) them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.(AN)

30 So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign,(AO) and assigned them duties, each to his own task. 31 I also made provision for contributions of wood(AP) at designated times, and for the firstfruits.(AQ)

Remember(AR) me with favor, my God.

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The Fall of Jericho

Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, (A)I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven (B)trumpets of (C)rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and (D)the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat,[a] and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord.” And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let (E)the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.”

And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the (F)rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” 11 So he caused the ark of the Lord to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

12 Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and (G)the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually. 14 And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days.

15 On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. 17 And the city and all that is within it shall be (H)devoted to the Lord for destruction.[b] Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she (I)hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel (J)a thing for destruction and (K)bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and (L)the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 21 Then they (M)devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:5 Hebrew under itself; also verse 20
  2. Joshua 6:17 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 18, 21

Now the gates of Jericho(A) were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered(B) Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns(C) in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.(D) When you hear them sound a long blast(E) on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout;(F) then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.”(G) And he ordered the army, “Advance(H)! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark(I) of the Lord.”

When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard(J) followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!(K) 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times.(L) 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!(M) 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted[a](N) to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute(O) and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid(P) the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things,(Q) so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction(R) and bring trouble(S) on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron(T) are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

20 When the trumpets sounded,(U) the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout,(V) the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.(W) 21 They devoted(X) the city to the Lord and destroyed(Y) with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 18 and 21.

and (A)I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and (B)to bring them up out of that land to a (C)good and broad land, a land (D)flowing with milk and honey, to the place of (E)the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

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So I have come down(A) to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,(B) a land flowing with milk and honey(C)—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites(D) and Jebusites.(E)

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(A)God Almighty[a] bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. May he give (B)the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of (C)the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:3 Hebrew El Shaddai

May God Almighty[a](A) bless(B) you and make you fruitful(C) and increase your numbers(D) until you become a community of peoples. May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham,(E) so that you may take possession of the land(F) where you now reside as a foreigner,(G) the land God gave to Abraham.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai

18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, (A)“To your offspring I give[a] this land, from (B)the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 15:18 Or have given

18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram(A) and said, “To your descendants I give this land,(B) from the Wadi[a] of Egypt(C) to the great river, the Euphrates(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 15:18 Or river

14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, (A)northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give (B)to you and (C)to your offspring forever. 16 (D)I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”

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14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.(A) 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[a] forever.(B) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.(C) 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,(D) for I am giving it to you.”(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:15 Or seed; also in verse 16